"U.S. authorities are scrambling to sort through
information that the CIA developed in the past 24
hours indicating that at least three individuals
entered the U.S. in August by air with the intent
to launch a vehicle-borne attack against
Washington, D.C. or New York around the
anniversary of 9/11, according to intelligence
officials.
Officials say the alleged terror plot was
initiated by new al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri,
Osama bin Laden's successor, who had pledged to
avenge bin Laden's death earlier this year in a
U.S. raid.
Intelligence and law enforcement officials told
ABC News that at least one of the individuals is a
U.S. citizen and one official said that two of the
individuals may have had U.S. documentation --
whether green cards or passports was unclear.
The threat was described as specific and credible
by federal officials. "Al Qaeda has shown an
interest in important dates and anniversaries. In
this instance it is accurate that there is
credible, specific but unconfirmed information,"
said Janice Fedarcyk, FBI Assistant Special Agent
in Charge of the New York office, at a Thursday
evening press conference." - ABC